Three
by thecloseryoulook
Summary: [set directly after the film] The Horsemen have been carefully following a strict set of orders for the past year. What happens when their orders run out? Rated T just to be safe & likely eventual Lover's Death (that is, Jack/Daniel) (Tarot cards okay)
1. Chapter 1

**Three**

It was done. The Four Horseman had become a household name. They had won their battle. But the Eye, believed by most to be a legend and known by few to be the truth, was not yet finished with them. This battle was won, but the war would never be over. It was time for the Four to fade into obscurity, to prepare once more.

* * *

The benches outside the carousel were hard and unforgiving. Henley lay across one, her arm dangling off the edge. Daniel and Jack shared the bench next to her as Merritt paced in front of them. The excitement of the night had taken its toll on each of them: Henley drifted in and out of consciousness and Jack had just collapsed on Daniel's shoulder, asleep. Only Daniel and Merritt maintained any kind of lucidity.

Daniel watched Merritt trudge back and forth in front of him. He figured Merritt's constant movement was the only thing keeping him awake. Fingering the remaining caffeine shot in his pocket, Daniel wondered what would happen to him if he were to drink his fourth shot in an hour. "Probably nothing good," he mumbled.

Merritt jumped and spun around. "What was that?" he growled.

Daniel put up the arm that Jack wasn't sleeping on in a gesture of peace. "Nothing, just talking to myself. It's almost four in the morning, Merritt, and the kids are asleep." Daniel nodded toward Henley and Jack, both of whom were unresponsive. "What are we still doing here?" Daniel couldn't believe he was deferring to the older man, but he was tired, and he hardly cared anymore.

Merritt stopped his pacing. Daniel considered making a comment about his apparent inability to both walk and think, but decided against it. The man seemed to be under enough stress as it was.

Merritt touched his hand to his forehead and squeezed his eyes shut. Daniel sighed inwardly; the serious psychic look was Merritt for "I have no idea." Before the other man could make anything up, Daniel took charge. "I say it's time we got out of here." He turned his body to face Jack and patted his cheek. "Time to get up, Jack," he muttered.

Jack's eyes remained closed as he put back together the events of the night. Not dead, not locked… not alone. His eyes opened slowly to see a hazy face before him. He blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes, but to his surprise Daniel's face remained, bearing an expression that, was it not Daniel, would be considered caring. Jack attempted to form a greeting, but managed only an incoherent slur of sounds. The corner of Daniel's mouth twitched upward. "Good morning to you too, sunshine."

Next to them, Merritt was having far less success rousing Henley. When a verbal awakening failed, Merritt resorted to poking and prodding Henley like a child to a strange insect. The oblivious woman's breathing remained even and Merritt became more and more frustrated.

Tearing his eyes from Jack's gaze, Daniel turned around. "Pull off her glove," he called over. Merritt shot Daniel a questioning look, but tried to remove her glove anyway. As soon as his hand touched the fabric, Henley sat bolt upright and jerked her arm away. She glanced over the trio and took in the situation before fixing an icy glare on Daniel. Daniel quickly cleared his throat and added, "And don't ask her about it. And Merritt, just don't." Henley gave a curt nod of thanks and swung her legs over the side of the bench. Merritt put his hands over his heart in a gesture of mock offense, but Jack cut him off before he could get started.

"So, where to?"

* * *

a/n: Hey Horsemen! Thank you for reading the first chapter of my NYSM fic, Three. Hopefully we'll have many exciting things ahead of us! Comments and advice are always adored; I know my writing can certainly be improved!

See you next time –

Julia


	2. Chapter 2

"So, where to?" Jack looked to the others, but it was apparent nobody had thought that far ahead. Merritt put his hand to his forehead while Daniel chewed on his lip, deep in thought. Henley fumbled through her pockets before pulling out her wallet.

"Dylan set us up with new identities, right? Let's use them." She pulled out a card and stared at the name on it. "I don't know what he was thinking with the new names, though. I mean, Lillian Hart? It's adorable, sure, but…"

"Hey!" Merritt exclaimed. "Don't you diss Lillian. That was my great grandmother's name."

"Exactly my point," Henley sighed. "What're all of your new names? We can't exactly go running around calling each other by the names that are plastered across every news station in the world."

Merritt pulled a thin piece of plastic from his pocket. His smile quickly dissolved into a frown as he studied card. 'Theodore Little?" He looked up. "You know, I'm not sure I appreciate Dylan's sense of humor anymore."

Henley managed to suppress her laughter, but Daniel and Jack made no attempt to do so. Merritt punched Jack in the arm. "Come on then kid, what's your name?"

Jack grinned proudly. "Jasper Knight. I guess Dylan likes me, eh?" He continued to beam through Henley and Merritt's outraged cries.

When the two of them had calmed down, Daniel spoke up. "Alright guys, let's get moving. I was thinking we should probably just check in to a motel, we can-"

"Hold up, you haven't told us your name," Jack interrupted. "Why, is it really that bad?"

"No, no, it's fine, but we should really be heading out," Daniel said in an effort to steer the conversation in another direction. He began to walk away from the group.

Henley jumped in front of him. "Not so fast, Danny. Out with it."

Daniel muttered something indecipherable. Merritt slapped him on the back of his head.

Clearing his throat, Daniel murmured, "Chester Chapman."

Merritt blinked. "I'm sorry," he began, "but did you just say Chester Chapman?"

Daniel pushed past him. "You heard what I said."

Merritt, Henley, and Jack turned to look at each other. Henley bit her lip, Jack pushed his hands against his lips, and Merritt took deep breaths.

"You know," Merritt started, "you know…"

Jack gave up and let out a loud guffaw before collapsing back onto the bench behind him. One arm crossed his stomach while the other continued to cover his mouth. His cheeks reddened by the moment. Henley and Merritt shortly followed suit, their laughter filling the silence of the park. Daniel stood facing away from them, his arms crossed and his posture hunched. But he smiled nonetheless.

After a minute, Henley wiped the tears from her eyes and Merritt resumed trying to control his breathing. Daniel turned around. Jack was still shaking with silent laughter, but Daniel chose to ignore it.

"Are we done?"

Merritt put his hand to his forehead and closed his eyes in mock concentration. "Nope," he said.

Henley punched him in the arm. "No, no, we're good," she said, mentally tacking a _Chester _onto the end. She looked over at Jack. "Jack, we're good, right?"

Jack stood up and took a few deep breaths. "Yeah, yeah, sorry man."

Daniel sighed. "Let's just go, alright? I remember a motel somewhere around here; they don't ask too many questions." With that, he strode off down the path, leaving the others to follow.

a/n: Wow, thank you all for the positive responses to chapter one! As promised, here is the second installment of their adventure. I should add that while some chapters will be all about plot and some will be all about romance, some will be full of stupid jokes like Chester Chapman. And I'm not even sorry.

- _Julia_


	3. Chapter 3

Henley and Merritt hurried to keep up with Daniel's fast pace. Jack took another breath to pull himself together before following behind. After a few minutes of striding through the park in silence, Henley dropped back to talk to Jack.

"Jack, you need to do something about this," she whispered into his ear.

Jack pulled back, confused. "About what?" he asked, keeping his voice low.

"About Danny," Henley answered. "He's being all bitchy, and he's going to keep being bitchy until one of us does something about it."

Jack frowned. "Why me? I don't think I'd be able to do much."

Henley rolled her eyes. "Are you blind or something? You fell asleep on his shoulder and he didn't shove you off. Danny hardly lets people shake his hand, for heaven's sake. He likes you, okay? Just go talk to him!"

Jack's eyes widened. "Woah, hold up. He likes me?"

Henley groaned. "Oh no, we are not going to do this. Go talk to him before I handcuff you two together." Jack raised an eyebrow. "I will, you know," Henley added.

Jack looked her over. "I don't see any handcuffs on you, though…"

Henley just winked before giving Jack a light shove in Daniel's direction.

The few steps it took for Jack to reach Daniel's side felt like the longest he'd ever taken. He fiddled nervously with his coat.

_Henley probably just meant Daniel likes me as a friend, _he assured himself. _Daniel doesn't like many people as friends, right? That's why it's a big deal. _Jack refused to consider the one possibility he wanted most. Sure, plenty of people in the show business were gay, himself included. Running around shouting about it was usually just asking for trouble, so Jack kept it to himself. But Daniel? Daniel brought back girls all the time, much to Henley's annoyance. They were all one-night stands – Jack would see them once, and then never again. Merritt loved to analyze that bit. But they were all girls, never any guys. _No, _Jack told himself sternly. _Daniel is not bi, not gay, and he is not into you._

Jack cleared his throat. "Hey," he mumbled.

"Hey," Daniel replied, not looking up. "Henley sent you?"

"No – of course not, I…" Jack fumbled, before trailing off. "Yeah."

Daniel smirked and turned his head to look at Jack. "I knew it was just a matter of time. I'm not actually pissed, you know. Chester Chapman is ridiculous; even I can laugh at that."

Jack breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm glad," he said. "Henley was worried. I should go let her know – "

Daniel cut him off, grabbing his shoulder. "Nope," he whispered. "Let her worry. Besides, I want to see what you're going to do to cheer me up." He winked.

Jack swallowed. _If this isn't flirting, _he thought, _I have absolutely no idea what is._ "Well," he stammered, "there's a 24-hour donut place not too far from the park. Nobody can be mad – or whatever – when their face is covered in powdered sugar, yeah?"

Daniel laughed. "Sure," he agreed. "I think we could all use some powdered sugar."

Behind them, Henley and Merritt looked on, amused.

"The kid's better at magic than I thought," whispered Merritt.

* * *

a/n: Have I mentioned how awesome you guys are? Thank you for all the reviews & favorites & such! I should tell you - this is the longest I've ever managed to stick with a story, and it's all down to how amazing my readers are. This chapter was a bit short, but maybe its content will make up for that...?

See you tomorrow!

_Julia_


	4. Chapter 4

After what felt like hours of walking, the Horsemen finally reached the edge of the park. Daniel stopped and checked his watch.

"Just about five," he said, turning to the others. "We should try and get to the motel before six – avoid the morning rush."

They nodded, too tired to argue. Jack spoke up. "That means we have time for donuts, right?" he asked eagerly.

Merritt turned to grin at Daniel. "I'm with the kid on this one. We haven't eaten since before the show, I'm starving."

Daniel threw his hands up in the air. "Sure, fine. Let's go." But when Merritt's back was turned, he looked at Jack and winked.

Henley frowned slightly. "You know, there's a pretty good fro-yo place not too far from here either…" She looked at the other horsemen hopefully. They stared at her blankly.

"Wait," Jack said thoughtfully. "That's the yogurt stuff, right?" The others nodded their recognition as Henley shook her head. "Hopeless," she muttered.

Daniel tapped his foot impatiently. "Are we going to get donuts now? I mean, if you'd rather sit around and chat, we could do that instead."

Jack grabbed Henley and Merritt's arms, dragging them forward. "Come on, guys!" Henley and Merritt exchanged glances before following the enthusiastic boy.

The light from the restaurant beckoned the Horsemen inside. The sign on the front read simply, "24 HOUR DONUT." As soon as they walked through the door, the aroma of baked confections surrounded them.

"Alright," Jack said, almost bouncing on the balls of his feet. "I'll order – you guys take a seat in a booth." He turned and walked up to the counter.

"Merritt, why don't you go help him?" Henley added, fixing the older man with a stare. Merritt got the message quickly and walked to join Jack.

Henley and Daniel sat down in a booth. The seats were made of smooth wood – not exactly the height of comfort, but after a day of excitement they felt like heaven. Daniel wondered if he'd manage to stay awake for whatever it was Henley wanted to say.

"So?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Henley put her palms on the table, leaning in and lowering her voice to a whisper. "I think we both know what's going on here, Danny." She nodded toward Jack, who was still puzzling over the massive assortment of treats. "And I'm warning you: do not mess this up. What happened between the two of us was bad enough. I won't watch you do that to anyone else."

Daniel was taken aback. "Henley, I – look, I'm sorry for what I did. Do. Have been doing. Whatever." He stammered, trying to find the right words. "But I've learned from it, and Jack's different – I mean, no offense. I don't have anyone to compare him to, you know? He's the only Jack I have – the only Jack I want." He ran a hand through his hair. "Am I making any sense?"

Henley sat back and nodded, the edges of her mouth hinting at a smile. She turned her head to see Merritt and Jack approaching the booth. Jack carried an enormous box of donuts, and the both of them grinned proudly. Setting the box on the table, Jack removed the lid with a flourish. "Ta-da!"

Daniel had to stop himself from gasping. Inside were a dozen donuts of every color and flavor imaginable. He noticed Henley's gaze fall on a chocolate donut with pink frosting and sprinkles. He also noted the several powdered sugar-drenched confections. Jack slid into the booth next to him as Merritt took a seat next to Henley.

Henley eyed the box apprehensively. "You realize there are only four of us, right?"

Jack nodded, looking thoughtful. "Yeah. We might have to get some more, actually. I thought this might just be good to start." She shook her head as Jack picked up one of the powdered sugar donuts. "A toast!" he announced. The others quickly reached to pick up their own donuts – chocolate for Henley, lemon for Merritt, and another powdered sugar for Daniel. "To us; we survived the year!"

"I'll toast to that," Daniel agreed with a laugh as they all took a bite. However, each of them knew how truly literal the toast was.

Daniel looked over at Jack. The sugar had somehow managed to spread all over his face; his cheeks, his nose; even his eyebrows were dusted with the powder. At that moment, Henley looked up from her donut and noticed Jack's predicament. She began to laugh, and Daniel and Merritt soon joined her. Jack looked between them, utterly perplexed at the situation at hand.

"What?" he asked. "Do I have something on my face?"

Merritt got up to fetch some more napkins and Daniel sighed contentedly. When he had first met the Horsemen a year ago, he would never have been able to picture his life now. He rested his head on Jack's shoulder, finally giving in and closing his eyes. Jack looked over to Henley, excitement dawning on his face. Henley grinned back and gave him a thumbs-up.

In the commotion, the Horsemen failed to notice the man in dark sunglasses slip into the booth behind them.

Hey Horsemen! I apologize for my late update today. This chapter was a bit tricky to write, but I hope it came out okay! As promised, things are finally starting to pick up a bit. Where will they go next? Who is the man with the sunglasses? And most importantly – _how will Jack get all that sugar off his face?_

See you tomorrow!

_- Julia_


	5. Intermission A

**Introducing: Intermissions! **

**Hey Horsemen, Julia here. After writing the previous chapter, I had an intense urge to write some good ol' face sucking. Unfortunately, it didn't exactly fit with the plot. This is when I came up with the idea of an intermission: a break from the action with a (fabulous) side show. This chapter is basically what I would put next if I didn't care about logical stories or plots. I hope you enjoy reading it!**

* * *

Daniel rested his head peacefully on Jack's shoulder, toeing the edge of consciousness. He could hear hushed voices around him, but he tuned them out to focus on the happiness at hand. When was the last time he had been truly relaxed? He couldn't come up with a sufficient answer, and banished the thought from his mind.  
Meanwhile, Jack and Henley engaged in an intense, though whispered, discussion.  
"Jack, I'm telling you. I've never seen him like this before in my life. You can't be shy anymore. For fuck's sake, Jack, kiss the man!"  
Before Jack was able to stammer out a response, Merritt slid back into his seat. "You gotta, kiss de girl," he sang in an impressive imitation of the Disney character. His expression turned serious as he looked at Jack. "Seriously though, kid, my teeth hurt from all the sweetness we have going on here - first the donuts, now this? Couldn't you go be sweet somewhere else?"  
Henley's eyes lit up. "Somewhere else, perfect! Jack, you and Daniel are going for a walk. Now." Before Jack could protest, Henley reached across the table to gently shake Daniel's shoulder.  
Daniel blinked slowly as the world came back into focus. He mumbled incoherently. Henley looked meaningfully at Jack.  
"Ah - Hey, Daniel," he mumbled. "Let's go for a walk, yeah? Some cool air will wake you up in no time." Taking Daniel's hand, he stood up. Daniel followed soon after, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes.  
"Alright," he agreed. The two, still hand in hand, exited through the restaurant's door.  
Merritt massaged his temples. "Fucking finally," he muttered.  
"Tell me about it," Henley agreed.

Jack walked slowly through the quiet streets, heart hammering in his chest. Tendrils of orange reached across the horizon as the sky overhead tentatively turned to grey. The couple was silent, their firmly clasped hands communicating all that needed to be said. Almost three blocks from the restaurant, Daniel stopped abruptly.  
"Daniel?" Jack asked, concern seeping into his voice. "Is something wrong?"  
Exhaustion had erased any remaining traces of Daniel's subtlety, and he was tired of Jack's adorable-yet-infuriating shyness. His eyes mapped every detail of Jack's face, including the still-present splashes of powdered sugar.  
"Why are we not making out?"  
Jack blinked. "Ah…" Daniel opted not to let him finish. He released Jack's hand and instead grabbed his waist, guiding Jack's back to the brick wall beside them. Daniel leaned in until their foreheads touched. "Well?" he asked.  
Jack snapped out of his stupor, and in a flash his lips were on Daniel's. Moving one hand to the back of the taller man's neck, he deepened the kiss. With his other hand he dug his fingers into the small of Daniel's back. Daniel rejoiced at Jack's sudden turn to action. He teased Jack's lower lip gently before pulling away.  
"Mmm," he mumbled. "You taste like powdered sugar."  
Jack grinned. "You know," he began, "there's a very good reason for that."  
"You can tell me some other time," Daniel replied, before resuming the kiss.  
In an ironic twist of fate, the only thought drifting through the mind of either man was "_Finally._"

* * *

Next chapter will resume with a sleepy Daniel and a mysterious man in sunglasses; the events of this intermission will have never happened.

See you tomorrow!

_- Julia_


	6. Chapter 5

In the commotion, the Horsemen failed to notice the man in the dark sunglasses slip into the booth behind them.

The man checked his watch. _Nearly six, _he thought. _I suppose we'd better get this show on the road, then. _He was relieved that he had finally located the troublesome magicians. The man was no stranger to hunting, but the Horsemen were no strangers to hiding. It had certainly been a long day.

He remembered when this all began, just hours before. He was at home with his wife, asleep, when he got the call.

"This is Agent Rhodes from the FBI. We need your help."

From there, it was all rapid-fire briefings, promises of secrecy, and more cups of coffee than he could count. His mission was to locate the international criminals – _magicians, _he thought to himself with a chuckle – and tail them until they settled somewhere, before reporting back to Rhodes. The man relaxed into his booth. Sure, it had been a bit of work tracking the Horsemen down, but the illusionists were exhausted. Their guards would be down, and the man would be able to return to his wife before lunch. He pulled a cheap cell phone from his pocket to text the burn number Rhodes had provided. _Found them, _the message read. He clicked off the phone and used the black screen to reflect the booth behind him, but was unable to make out the figures behind him. He stood up as if to get napkins, glancing at the Horsemen's booth. The man stopped dead in his tracks.

They were gone.

The man bit back a scream of frustration and instead muttered, "Fucking magicians."

Jack's heart pounded as the Horsemen rushed through the alley behind the restaurant. He slid his arm around Daniel's waist to hold him upright, practically dragging the sleepy man along behind him. Ahead, Merritt was talking in a hushed whisper.

"It's a damn good thing I was paying attention back there," he began. "You two lovebirds could have got us killed – or worse, jailed," he accused, pointing at Daniel and Jack. "And you," he said, rounding on Henley, "encouraging them! We nearly got caught!"

Henley began to respond, her face flushing a bright red, but Daniel cut her off.

"Everyone shut up. The motel is just a bit farther from here. How about we stay quiet and try to actually make it there? Who knows how much backup this guy had?" His voice carried its usual authority despite the fact that he still leaned on Jack for support.

Henley swallowed her angry response. "Yeah, Danny. We can do that."

The rest of the walk to the motel was spent in silence.

The motel was a small yet sturdy building. Time had softened its edges, and the warm glow radiating from its windows was tantalizing. The Horsemen stopped just outside the door to regroup.

"Alright," Henley began, peering through the front window. "I'll get the rooms – I'm betting the guy on duty won't say no to me. You wait here." Henley winked before ducking inside the lobby.

Merritt sighed. "Why does she get all the fun jobs? I could seduce him just fine." Jack and Daniel rolled their eyes. A minute later, Henley reappeared, her expression worried.

"Good news or bad news first?" she asked.

"Good," Daniel replied.

"Well, I was right – no questions asked. The guy even gave me his number." She held up a slip of paper before crumpling it and tossing it in a nearby trashcan.

"And the bad?" Merritt inquired.

"They only have one empty room left – two twin beds and a sofa sleeper." She paused nervously. "I said we'd take it." Merritt, Jack, and Daniel groaned.

"Really, Henley?" Merritt complained.

"Listen, I knew you'd be pissed, but we need to get somewhere safe for the night. Do you want to be wandering around in the morning rush with every paper on the streets plastered with our faces? Come on, let's go."

The Horsemen followed her inside without another word. As usual, Henley was right.

Dylan Rhodes groaned and massaged his temples. He knew sending Alexanders to tail the Horsemen was a bad idea. The man was an idiot, frankly. But at least he had a general location.

Leaning back into his seat in the cab, Dylan stared out at the New York streets rushing by. He mentally kicked himself for not leaving a line of communication between himself and the magicians. Sure, it was risky, but so was this. Glancing at his watch, he saw that it was now past six. He had to find his Horsemen – and soon.

a/n: Hey Horsemen! A bit of plot for you this chapter. Things are gaining speed! And what of our lovely couple? Three beds… four people… Need I say more?

See you tomorrow!

_Julia_


	7. Chapter 6

The first observation to be made of the motel room was that it was small. Olive green walls completely failed to complement the dark grey carpet. Henley, Daniel, and Merritt eyed the room with suspicion. Jack kicked off his shoes and flopped on one of the beds.

"I've been in worse, trust me. It's clean enough."

The other Horsemen shrugged and began pulling off shoes and coats.

As soon as her shoes were off, Henley raced toward the bathroom. "I call first shower!" The boys groaned, knowing she'd use up most of the hot water.

"I'm next, then," Merritt added. He climbed onto the other twin bed. "We should probably leave Henley the sofa sleeper."

Daniel nodded and turned to Jack. "Can I join you then?"

"Sure," he replied, moving over to make room on the bed. The two men barely fit, so Jack found himself curling into Daniel's side.

"That works," Daniel said, smiling. He looked over to Merritt in anticipation of a sarcastic remark, but the older man was sound asleep. Daniel allowed his muscles to relax as he sunk into the bed. He found Jack's warm body to be comforting. The past year had been non-stop action; it was exciting, sure, but Daniel never quite managed to feel safe. Even now, the danger was far from over. However, in the small and dingy room, Daniel was protected.

When Henley emerged from the bathroom some time later, her damp hair covering her shoulders and a towel wrapped around her chest, she smiled at the scene before her. Daniel and Jack were both peacefully sleeping. Jack's head lay on Daniel's chest, and Daniel's arm curled around his back, pulling them closer together. Henley crept over to Merritt and shook his shoulder gently, putting a finger to her lips when he awoke. She had him help her wrestle open the sofa sleeper before he went into the bathroom for his shower. As she pulled her clothes back on, Henley thought over the situation at hand.

_We're likely to be here for a bit, _she thought. _And the tension between these two is only going to get higher unless Merritt and I push them together. _She paused. _Which would be worse: living with two guys who are denying they want to fuck, or two guys who have just started fucking? _She shook her head. _Both suck. But I know they'd both be happier with number two. _Pulling on her gloves, Henley sat back on the sofa sleeper. Just then, Merritt opened the bathroom door, a towel around his hips.

"Nope!" Henley whisper-shouted to him. He grinned and ducked back inside the bathroom, remerging a minute later fully clothed. Henley walked over to him and whispered into his ear.

"We need to out for a bit, get some food or something." She pointed to the pair on the bed. "I'd rather not be here when they discover each other's lips, if you know what I mean."

"I absolutely agree," Merritt said. He stepped over to the bed and shook the both of them awake. "Henley and I are going out to find us some food and clean clothes. Be good while we're gone!" He winked, and the two of them stepped out of the motel room.

As they walked down the hall, Merritt turned to Henley. "I give them ten minutes before they start making out."

Henley laughed. "I'm thinking closer to five."

As it turns out, they were both wrong. It was more like two.

a/n: Hey Horsemen, I apologize for missing yesterday. Real life has gotten a bit crazy as of late, and as a result I may be updating a bit less. My goal will still be one new chapter a day, but I may not always be able to make it. I hope you'll forgive me and keep reading; the story is only going to get better from here!

See you soon,

_Julia_


	8. Chapter 7

The door clicked shut behind Merritt and Henley. Jack blinked sleepily and burrowed deeper into Daniel's side. Daniel stretched and yawned before bringing a hand over to run through Jack's hair. Jack picked his head up off of Daniel's chest and moved so that the two of them were at eye level.

Jack looked at Daniel.

Daniel looked at Jack.

Jack looked at Daniel.

Daniel looked at the space where Jack had been before suddenly discovering a weight on his chest, as Jack had rolled on top of him and was now straddling his waist. Daniel pushed himself up on one elbow and used his other hand to grasp Jack's neck before pulling him in for a kiss. Jack returned the kiss with equal enthusiasm. After a minute, he pulled back, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he attempted to catch his breath. Daniel grinned up at him.

"Not a bad kiss, kid," he teased.

"You won't be calling me 'kid' for much longer," Jack replied. He slid a hand under Daniel's back, lowering his head back onto the pillow. Jack leaned down to tease Daniel's lip before resuming their kiss.

One hand still on Jack's neck, Daniel's other hand found the small of Jack's back and dug in, eliciting a low moan from Jack. He fumbled with the bottom of Jack's shirt, breaking momentarily from the kiss to pull it up and over the younger man's head. Daniel grinned as he admired Jack's muscular physique. He slid a finger down Jack's chest, stopping just above his belt. He looked up and raised an eyebrow.

"You know, I sure could use a shower," Jack suggested.

"So could I," Daniel agreed. "And we wouldn't want to go wasting water…"

The two leapt off the bed and raced toward the bathroom, leaving a trail of clothing behind them as they went.

Some time later, Merritt and Henley stood down the hall from their motel room, bags of food and clothes in hand.

"You go check," Merritt hissed.

"Absolutely not," Henley replied. "You go."

Merritt groaned before stuffing his bags into Henley's hands. He walked over and put an ear up to the door. From the other side, he could hear the sounds of muffled moaning and running water. Merritt jumped back from the door and nearly ran back to Henley.

"Nope!" he exclaimed. "Let's go, let's go, let's go."

Henley laughed and handed him back his bags as they walked briskly back to the elevator.

Merritt's expression was still disturbed. "Next time, you're checking."

a/n: Hey Horsemen! Short chapter, I know. I hope it was still good!

See you tomorrow,

_Julia_


	9. Chapter 8

An hour later, Henley and Merritt still sat in the motel lobby. They had long since abandoned the idea of checking on Daniel and Jack; they were too wary of the risks it held. Instead, they hoped that the couple would eventually come looking for them.

They hypothesis was soon proven correct as Daniel and Jack emerged from the lobby's elevator. Their hair was still damp, but their eyes were bright. Merritt and Henley looked up from the month-old magazines they were reading.

"Ah, I see you two showered up, then?" Henley asked, raising an eyebrow. Jack flushed deeply, but Daniel managed to keep a straight face and nodded.

"How was your shopping?" he asked.

"Oh, fine," Henley replied. "We picked up some food – including fruits and vegetables, thank god. And some less conspicuous clothes, too."

"We should probably head back up and get changed then," Jack suggested.

Merritt looked at him carefully. "Do we want to?"

Jack flushed even more. "Y – yeah, it's fine." He coughed awkwardly. "Ah, why would you ask?"

Merritt turned and looked at Henley. She sighed before pulling an envelope out of her bag and handing it to Jack. "I just want to say, before you open this, that it was all Merritt's idea…"

Jack tore open the envelope as Daniel peered over his shoulder. Inside was a brightly colored card reading "Congratulations!" Jack opened it. Inside, in Merritt's messy scrawl, was written, "Congrats on the sex." Jack appeared as though he was about to faint. Daniel pulled the card from his hands and glared at Merritt. Henley just shook her head.

"Alright, boys. Let's just go get changed." She strode off toward the elevator, leaving the other Horsemen to follow.

As the elevator door clunked closed, the motel door swung open. A man stepped inside. His suit was rumpled and his dark hair was messy. This was the sixth motel he had visited so far today. He walked over to the counter and rang the bell. Moments later, the clerk stepped out of the motel's back room.

"May I help you?"

"Yes. My name is Dylan Rhodes." He pulled a picture from his pocket. It was a clipping from the morning's paper depicting the Henley, Merritt, and Daniel at their final show. "Have you seen any of these people?"

"You know, I see plenty of folks 'round here," the clerk replied without looking at the picture.

Dylan pulled a twenty-dollar bill from his wallet and slapped it on the counter.

"Yeah, I saw 'em. Not too long ago, matter of fact."

Dylan tensed; he was finally getting somewhere. "Care to tell me where?"

The clerk shrugged. "Like I said before…"

Another twenty appeared on the counter. The clerk cleared his throat. "Ah, yeah, they're staying here. Room 207, just upstairs."

Dylan nodded and turned to take the stairs. He was sick of losing the Horsemen, and mentally cursed himself for taking and smashing all of their phones at the carousel. This wild chase was absolutely pointless; they were on the same side, after all.

Minutes later, Dylan arrived at the door to room 207. He knocked before calling out loudly. "Guys – It's me."

Daniel opened the door. He wore a pair of loose jeans and an oversized "I Heart New York" t-shirt. He looked confused, but waved Dylan inside nonetheless.

"Dylan, hey – what are you doing here?"

Merritt and Jack walked over to join them. Merritt wore a pair of khaki Bermuda shorts and a vibrant Hawaiian shirt. Jack was nearly swimming in a Statue of Liberty t-shirt and grey sweatpants. Dylan raised an eyebrow at their attire.

"Henley and Merritt did the shopping," Daniel explained. "They seem to think they're funny."

Dylan smiled knowingly before looking around the room. "Speaking of which, where is Henley?"

"Here!" she called, before pushing open the bathroom door. "Sorry, I was just getting changed." Henley had swapped her all-black outfit for jean shorts and a pink "NYC" tank top under a grey sweatshirt. She kept her gloves, but her red hair was in a bun and tucked under a Yankees baseball cap. She crossed over to join the group.

"So, Dylan," Daniel began, "if you don't mind me asking, how did you find us?"

Dylan smiled slightly. "It wasn't easy, let me tell you. You slipped the tail I set on you, much to my frustration."

Merritt looked embarrassed. "Shit, he was yours?"

Dylan waved his hand. "Hey, no way for you to know. I wanted to come in person, but I thought it would be too risky. As it turns out, I didn't really have a choice." He shrugged.

The Horsemen mulled this over for a moment before Henley spoke up.

"So, if it's that dangerous – if you don't mind me asking – why bother coming?"

"Right," Dylan said. "I was just getting to that. New York isn't safe for you four, and the Eye can't afford to have you captured. We're moving you out."

a/n: Hey Horsemen! I wrote a bit more today to make up for yesterday. I'm aware that some of you found yesterday's chapter to be a bit pointless. It was entirely my intent to devote a short chapter to face sucking, but it's understandable if you found it lacking. Therefore, today's chapter has a fair bit more plot.

See you tomorrow!

_Julia_


	10. Chapter 9

"I was just getting to that. New York isn't safe for you four, and the Eye can't afford to have you captured. We're moving you out."

The Horsemen looked between each other, unsure whether to be excited or anxious.

"Er, where?" Daniel asked apprehensively.

"A small Massachusetts town – not far, just a little over an hour by plane. I know a guy there who owns a bunch of rental houses; he owes me a favor."

The Horsemen looked relieved; they could handle Massachusetts. Merritt spoke up.

"I feel like a lot of people owe you favors, Dylan."

Dylan smiled slightly. "Yes," he agreed. "Anyway, pull whatever things you have here together. I'll be waiting in the lobby. And hurry; the favor chain that's getting you out won't last forever." He turned and walked out through the door.

"Wait!" Henley called, stepping out into the hall after him. She shook her head and came back inside. "He did his damn vanishing thing again. Ugh – I wanted to ask him more about where we're staying."

Jack shrugged. "It can't be worse than the apartment, right? We cleaned that up well enough. We'll manage. We always do."

Daniel was already moving about the room, picking up clothes and leftover food and putting things into bags. He paused a moment and said, "Let's just do what he says, guys. You heard him – we have to get moving."

"Whatever you say, boss," Merritt replied with a smirk.

Ten minutes later, the dingy motel room looked exactly like it had when the Horsemen found it. Daniel pushed open the door only to walk into Dylan, who stood outside looking upset.

"Hey, we were just on our way," Daniel began, before Dylan cut him off.

"No time," he replied. "The FBI – the other FBI, I mean – is here. I was on my way up to hurry you all along when Alexanders texted me to say they'd found the motel the Horsemen were staying at. Alexanders and a few other agents are downstairs now." He waved them back inside the room before entering himself and locking the door. Just for good measure, he grabbed a nearby chair and shoved it up against the door as well.

"Uh, Alexanders?" Jack asked, confused.

"The tail I set on you. I had to keep up appearances, and at the time the FBI's help in finding you suited my purposes just fine. When you slipped him, I told him to go home. Apparently, he didn't listen." Dylan shook his head disapprovingly. "But that's not important." He strode over to the window, opening in and peering outside. Though the drop was only two stories, there was nothing to break their fall. Dylan motioned Henley over. "Any ideas?" he asked.

She glanced about the room before her eyes settled on the beds. "We could probably use a blanket or two as a rope, it'd get us at least part of the way down. Throw down some pillows too – it'd be better than nothing."

Dylan nodded and the Horsemen began tearing the pillows and blankets from the beds. Suddenly, heavy footsteps could be heard pounding through the hall. Jack and Merritt began tossing pillows onto the alley below as Daniel and Henley worked to twist blankets together into vague ropes.

"Done!" Henley exclaimed. "But someone will have to hold the rope up here while the others climb down…"

"I will," Jack cut in. "I'm light, but stronger than I look. I'll jump down after, someone can catch me."

There was a sharp knock at the door. "FBI, open up!"

"Shit," Dylan hissed. "Alexanders."

"Dylan, you go first," Jack whispered. "They can't know you've been here. They see you, we're all fucked."

Dylan nodded and grabbed the bottom half of the blanket rope. Jack wrapped the top around his fists as Dylan stepped to the windowsill. Bracing himself against the wall, Jack counted down.

"Three, two, one!"

Dylan slid out, using the rope to slow his descent. As soon as Jack felt the blanket go slack, he yanked it back inside and nodded to Henley. "Your turn."

The knocking at the door grew more insistent. "This is the FBI. We demand that you open this door!"

Henley jumped out and Jack turned to Daniel.

A cracking noise could be heard from the other end of the room as the agents began breaking down the door.

"No, let Merritt go," Daniel insisted. As soon as the older man was safely outside, Daniel turned to Jack. He pressed a hurried kiss to his lips before grabbing the end of the blanket. "I'll catch you," Daniel whispered. "I promise." With that, he leapt out the window and landed softly below.

The door slammed open. "Stop where you are!" Jack didn't turn around, and instead made for the window. There was a loud bang and a searing pain in the back of Jack's leg as he fell through the open air, landing, as promised, in Daniel's arms.

Daniel made a move to put Jack down, but Jack squeezed his arm tightly. "Shot," he breathed, trying valiantly to stay conscious.

"Oh, shit, shit, shit!" Daniel exclaimed. He wrapped his arms tighter around Jack and ran toward the car where the other Horsemen already waited. Dylan sat in the driver's seat with Merritt next to him. Henley sat in the back, waiting nervously for Daniel and Jack to arrive. Daniel climbed inside, careful not to hurt Jack further. Henley blanched when she saw the blood covering Jack's leg.

"He was shot," Daniel explained as he tried to catch his breath. A collective round of cursing came from the other passengers in the car. Dylan tore off his blazer and tossed it into the backseat. Daniel wrapped it around Jack's leg, his hands shaking.

"Here," Henley said, "Let's lay him across the seats. Put his head on your lap, I'll deal with his leg."

They carefully adjusted Jack into position and Daniel brushed a few stray hairs out of his eyes. "Hey," he said softly. "Hey, Jack, I got you. You're gonna be fine, okay? It's just a leg wound. You'll be patched up in no time, you hear me?" Jack blinked sleepily back and mumbled something. The car went over a bump and he cried out in pain, every muscle of his body tensing.

"Shit, Dylan, can't you be careful?" Daniel nearly screamed.

Merritt turned around in his seat. "Daniel, he's trying. You need to calm down. I – Dylan, permission to put him to sleep?"

Dylan shook his head. "Unfortunately, we rather need him awake."

Henley reached over to Daniel and squeezed his hand. "He'll pull through, Danny. He's tougher than you give him credit for."

Daniel nodded and returned his attention to Jack. He stroked the younger man's hair and studied his face. _If there's one reason to get through this, _he thought, _this is it._

a/n: Hey Horsemen! Is your fic getting boring? If so, SHOOT SOMEONE! Hah. I'm kind of sorry, but not really.

See you tomorrow!

_Julia_


	11. Intermission B

a/n: Hey Horsemen! Sorry I missed yesterday; I was a bit busy seeing Pippin on Broadway! It was a fantastic show- I highly recommend it. Anyway, in my penultimate update today, I have for you the second intermission. If you recall, an intermission is a rewrite/alternate ending for a past or future chapter. It does not apply to the story outside of itself. Today's intermission is a rewrite of the ending of the previous chapter. I must warn you, however. The first intermission was happy. This one is not. Enjoy!

The door slammed open. "Stop where you are!" Jack didn't turn around, and instead made for the window. There was a loud bang and a searing pain in between Jack's shoulder blades as he fell through the open air, landing, as promised, in Daniel's arms.

Daniel knew something was wrong as soon as Jack fell into his arms. The boy's body was limp and unresponsive. His back felt warm and sticky, and Daniel knew without having to look that it was blood. He didn't think; only ran toward the car where Dylan and the other Horsemen waited. Daniel nearly threw himself into the car as he screamed at Dylan to get them to a hospital. Upon seeing the frantic man and the pale and bloody boy, Henley and Merritt jumped into action. Tearing off his shirt, Merritt tossed it to Daniel to use as a compress. Henley gently turned Jack over and used a pocketknife to cut open his shirt, revealing the extent of the wound. She caught Daniel's eye, and in that silence glance they both understood the truth that neither wanted to accept. His eyes brimming with tears, Daniel nodded an answer to the unspoken question. They would make Jack comfortable. It was all they could do.

Daniel pressed the crumpled shirt to Jack's back and carefully turned him over. He swallowed hard and brushed a few strands of hair out of Jack's eyes. "Hey babe," he said.

Henley was leaning forward and whispering to Merritt and Dylan. Tears streamed openly down her cheeks as she fought to keep her voice steady. Merritt turned in his seat and gripped her shoulder tightly. His eyes watered as well, but there was a mutual agreement to give the young couple some privacy.

Everything spun in swirls of light and dark as Jack clawed away from the abyss forming in his mind. He saw Daniel above him and he tried weakly to reach out. "You caught me," he murmured, before his consciousness was swallowed into the black.

"Yeah," Daniel replied. "Yeah, I did." He gripped Jack's hand tightly. "Jack, babe – please. You have to let me catch you again. I'm still here. You still have me." His voice broke. "You'll always have me Jack, please…" A sob escaped his lips as Jack's hand went limp in his. He pulled the body of the young man tightly into his as more sobs shook his defeated frame.

Henley dropped her head into her hands, biting her lip until she tasted blood. She thought back to when, not long before, they had pretended Jack was dead. Before shooting the short video clip for the internet, the three of them – Daniel, Merritt, and herself – had sat together to try and imagine life without Jack. They had done so then to get into character and conjure the necessary emotions. The three of them had been on the verge of tears as they filmed the video; life without their youngest member was an unimaginable horror. As soon as shooting had finished, Daniel nearly sprinted off the set, tears threatening to pour from his eyes. Henley glanced over to him now. Daniel was no longer the strong figure he always appeared to be. He was small and weak. It scared Henley to see him like this. She reached out to lay a hand on his shoulder, but stopped herself. There would be time. There would be far, far too much time.

a/n: sorry sorry sorry sorry. Tomorrow will be the final update in which I finish up this story. Of course, as this was only an intermission, Jack will be back and alive (though still with a bullet in his leg).

See you tomorrow!

_Julia_


	12. Chapter 10

Daniel nodded and returned his attention to Jack. He stroked the younger man's hair and studied his face. _If there's one reason to get through this, _he thought, _this is it._

The car skidded to a stop outside a drug store. Dylan turned to Merritt.

"Get painkillers, bandages, whatever you can think of. We can't bring him to a hospital, but I can call in a friend to meet us on the plane. He's a doctor – a good one." Merritt nodded and jumped out of the car. Dylan pulled out his phone and dialed a number. While he talked, Henley turned to Daniel and Jack.

Daniel barely blinked as he stared down at Jack's pained face. It was as if he believed that Jack would vanish in an instant if he looked away. _Maybe, _Henley thought, _that is what he believes. _She reached out to lay a hand on his arm, and he jumped slightly in surprise.

"Hey," she said softly. "How you holding up?"

"How do you think?" he replied, gritting his teeth. "God, Henley, I just want him to be okay. Why did I let him hold the rope and go last? I should've… I mean, I'm the leader, right? It should've been me."

"You stop that right now," Henley scolded. "You couldn't have known. And Jack will be just fine. He always is."

Just then, Merritt opened the car door and climbed in. Dylan turned the engine back on and the car roared into life, lunging forward. Jack groaned in pain and Daniel's attention immediately snapped back to his love.

Merritt passed a bag into the back seat. "Strongest painkillers they had without prescription, an antiseptic, and bandages." Henley nodded as she took the bag.

Dylan glanced into the backseat. "Are you going to put on a bandage now?"

"No," Henley replied. "Best to let the doctor do it. And anyway, the wound has been working to heal itself. If we pull the jacket off, it'll rip away any progress as well. We should keep it on for as long as we can."

"Damn," Merritt said. "How do you know this much medical stuff, anyway?"

Henley shrugged. "Back before I worked with Danny, I was part of a show with a bunch of other guys. They tended to get hurt a fair bit, and somehow always expected the woman to what to do. At first I just made it all up and it went fine, but over time I figured I might as well learn. As you can see, it comes in pretty handy."

Suddenly, from Daniel's lap, came muttered swearing. Daniel's face lit up as he smoothed Jack's hair.

"Hey, babe," he said softly. "Welcome back."

"Fuck," came Jack's mumbled reply.

Henley thought she heard Daniel giggle, but decided later it must've been a hallucination from stress.

"You got shot in the leg, if you're wondering why that hurts," Daniel told him. "You kept blacking out from pain. Which reminds me…" He looked over to Henley. "Do we have any water for the painkillers?"

"Oh, shit – no, we don't," she replied.

Dylan spoke up from the driver's seat. "Merritt, in the glove compartment, there's a bottle. Grab that."

Merritt did so, and looked at the label. "Scotch?" he asked.

"It's a liquid," grumbled Dylan. "And not a bad painkiller itself."

Merritt shrugged and passed the bottle back to Daniel. Daniel twisted off the cap and carefully propped Jack into a semi-upright position. He put the bottle to Jack's lips, but Jack reached up and took it from him.

"I was shot in the leg, not the shoulder," he reminded gently. He took a swig of the amber liquid and winced. "Damn, I'm not even twenty-one for another month."

Daniel handed him a couple pills, and Jack downed them with another mouthful of scotch. "Man," Jack said. "I've only ever really had beer at parties before. This stuff is pretty strong, huh?" He laughed, and Henley and Merritt exchanged a glance. They didn't expect Jack to be so inexperienced with alcohol.

"Dylan, how much longer before we get to the plane?" Merritt asked.

"Could be a while. An hour, maybe? The airfield is just outside the city."

Jack took another sip of the scotch before reaching up to tap Daniel on the nose. "Boop," he laughed.

Merritt groaned.

Just under an hour later, the car pulled up in front of a small and quiet airfield. Jack had long since passed out, and his head rested against Daniel's chest. When Jack had stopped drinking, Daniel had started, and he too was now asleep. Henley and Merritt remained awake, speaking in hushed voices. Though Jack was a bit pale, Henley surmised that the bullet had missed any major veins or arteries as the bleeding had mostly stopped.

On the runway ahead was a small plane, and standing just past the car was a young doctor. He was short in stature with sandy hair and a white coat. Dylan exited the car to talk with him, motioning to the back seat. Henley began shaking Daniel's shoulder in an attempt to wake him up, but the man was unresponsive. She sighed.

The doctor walked back into the building next to the airfield as Dylan returned to the car. He opened Henley's door and leaned over. "So there's the doctor, his name is John. Nice guy. He's grabbing a stretcher from inside. I'm guessing Daniel isn't waking up?" Henley shook her head. "Damn. Well, I'm sure we'll figure something out. Meanwhile, you and Merritt gather up all the bags here and get on the plane. We'll be right behind you."

As Merritt and Henley walked toward the plane, they passed the doctor. He pushed the stretcher toward the car, and Merritt made a mental note of his slight limp.

Dylan, Daniel, Jack, and John soon followed. Their solution to the two unconscious men was to simply squeeze both of them onto the small stretcher. Dylan pushed as John worked to keep Daniel and Jack from slipping off. Once everyone was inside the plane, Dylan went to speak with the pilot as John began work on Jack. They had propped Daniel up in a nearby seat where he was out of the way but still in view. Henley and Merritt sat across from John and Jack, both sharing a stubborn refusal to let their youngest team member out of their sight.

After a few minutes of silence, Merritt looked at John. "So your limp," he began, "psychosomatic, right?"

Henley punched him in the arm. "Merritt!" she hissed. "You can't go asking people things like that!"

John just laughed. "No, it's fine," he replied. "Actually, you remind me quite a lot of someone I once knew." Before the line of conversation could be further explored, Dylan returned to the cabin.

"We're taking off in just a minute," he announced. "How's Jack doing?"

"Surprisingly well," John replied. "The bullet didn't hit anything important, and it's not too deep. Once we get up in the air and stable, I'll be able to take it out without much of a problem."

Everyone – who was awake, that is – breathed a sigh of relief. In time, all would be well. Daniel would awaken shortly before landing in a panic before seeing Jack peacefully asleep. Content, he would soon drift back into dreams himself. In a few more hours, Dylan would drop the Horsemen off at their new home, a small three-bedroom rental house. He would apologize for the missing bedroom, but the Horsemen would just shake their heads.

In a few weeks, Jack would be healed and back on his feet, the same ball of energy he always was. The Horsemen would find jobs as Lillian, Theodore, Jasper, and Chester. Every so often there would be a short column on the back page of the paper, wondering aimlessly what had come of the four legends.

There would be time. There would be plenty of time.

And if Lillian, Theodore, Jasper, and Chester spent the rest of their lives waiting for the mysterious phone call, the midnight doorbell, the magical letter, well, what would the harm be?

You and I both know, however, that this was not to be. The Eye was not finished with them. The Four Horsemen would return once more.

a/n: Thank you, dear Horsemen, for sticking with me to the end of this story. I must say my hands hurt from typing! This tale is finished for now, but I will neither promise nor deny the possibility of a sequel. In the meantime, I have several more prompts to fulfill, so that will be my next project.

Thank you, and goodnight!

_Julia_


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